Energy Efficiency Act (S.C. 1992, c. 36)
The Act aims to establish minimum energy efficiency standards for a broad range of products and equipment in order to decrease overall Canadian energy consumption. It gives the government of Canada the authority to make and enforce standards for the performance of energy-consuming products that are imported into Canada, or that are manufactured in Canada and shipped across provincial or territorial borders. The Act also gives the federal government the authority to set labelling requirements for these products so consumers can compare the energy efficiency of various models of the same product.
Regulations made under the Act have been amended a number of times, most recently in 2008, to expand the list of products covered by the Act and enhance standards for some products already in place.
There are several monitoring arrangements that govern the Act. A database will be used to identify the amount of energy that can be saved for specific products. It will also help in compiling statistics on energy consumption as well as develop alternative energy sources
Importing into Canada, or trading between provinces, products that do not meet such energy efficiency standards, or tampering with an energy efficiency label, is a criminal offence. Failure to comply with regulations will result in the possibility of prosecution, fines and secondary offences.
